What Is an Organic Way to Get Rid of Flies Inside the House?

The old adage about catching more flies with honey than with vinegar offers a little insight on how to get rid of house flies organically. Instead of bombing your home with chemical foggers to kill flies and other common household insects, consider following the suggestions of old wives' tales and proverbs, or try out some innovative organic fly control methods. You may even discover that the organic methods are more effective at eliminating current flies and preventing future swarms within the home.

Give the old proverb a try by placing a saucer filled with honey on your kitchen table or countertop where pets cannot access the honey. Leave the sweet trap to sit overnight, or as long as necessary, to trap flies and other insects that try to feed on the honey. Trap gnats (a species of fly) and small white flies by crafting your own traps from modified soda bottles. Cut off the top of the soda bottle, turn it upside down and place it back inside the top half of the bottle, securing it into place with tape. Fill the bottle half-full of vinegar and watch as flies of all varieties crawl into the bottle, drown in the vinegar or struggle to find their way back out of the bottle. Empty the trap outdoors when necessary.

Keep flies under control by keeping your home free of foul substances and rotting food wastes that attract flies. Flies will use those areas as breeding grounds, laying eggs that hatch into maggots and transform into adult flies after passing through a pupae stage. Keep pet feces cleaned out of litter boxes and store food scraps in sealable containers until you can take the scraps outdoors or place them in your compost bin.

Control flies organically with a carnivorous, fly-eating plant such as the Venus fly trap, bladderwort, sundew or one of many varieties of the pitcher plant. These carnivorous plants trap and feed on flies, mites and other insects, in addition to producing food through the process of photosynthesis. Set the plant near food scraps infested with flies and gnats or place the plant on a windowsill where flies will pass by seeking an exit.

A simple flyswatter or rolled up newspaper provides an inexpensive and easy way to kill flies in your home. Unfortunately, you may have to chase a single fly around and swat at it several times before catching it still enough to kill. Keep doors and windows closed tightly and fix any gaps around door frames and windows that may allow easy access for various fly species.